The Chinese philosopher is symbolically depicted holding a mushroom stem in his hand. The mushroom represents the earth and what comes from it and what is close to it, and keeping it in the hand means spirit handling or controlling matter.

At the same time it suggests a moral, that the sign of the sage is to be as tender, as refined, as meek, as humble as a mushroom. It teaches the same moral that Christ taught, "If one smite you on one cheek, turn the other cheek." If one strikes on the rock one's own hand will be hurt, but one will not have the same experience by striking the mushroom.

It also teaches the philosophy that all the produce of this earth, however precious, is in the spiritual sense no more than a mushroom, which is subject to destruction every moment.

It also teaches the idea of being in life as free and independent as a mushroom, which needs no special care and demands no great attention from others. If anyone will use it, it is ready to be used; if anyone will throw it away, ready to be thrown away without causing great loss.

It also suggests a mystical point: While all other plants and trees respond to the wind and storm and make a noise, the mushroom stands still without uttering one sound. When the body and mind of the mystic are trained to the stillness of the mushroom through all storms and winds of life, then the mystic achieves perfection.